Liquid carbonation



Jan, 18, 1944. c. J. HOLINGER LIQUID CARBONAT'ION Fle'd Aug. 3; 1940 INVENTOR M A447,

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ATTORNEYS TAN/f Patented Jan. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID CARBONATION Carl J. Holinger, Plainfield, N. J. l

Application August 3, 1940, serial Nit-350,171

3 Claims.V (ci. zel- 115) This invention relates to carbonators for charging water with carbonic acid gas tdmake carbonated water such as used for beverage purposes.

ably the tension of the spring is so adjusted that the water entering the carbonator receptacle will with carbonio acid gas and into which water is sprayed or atomized to carbonate it. The gas is supplied to the receptacle ,at a predetermined pressure and the water is admitted at an appreciably higher pressure so as to effect comminution of the water as it enters the vreceptacle always be at a pressure which is approximately 15 pounds per square inch higherthan the pressure of the gas within the receptacle. Thus, if the gas entering the carbonator is at a pressure of 45-55 pounds per square inch as above stated, the water will always enter the carbonator at a pressure of about 60-,70 pounds per square inch, thus insuring that the water will be nely atomized 4or comminuted as it passes by the valve and enters the carbonator receptacle.

The accompanying drawing shows in vertical section a carbonator constructed in accordance withthe invention and capable of carrying out the improved method.

The carbonator constituting the subject mat- I Referring to the drawing, the carbonator comprises a receptacle having side Walls I, a bottom '2, and a top plate 3 preferably welded to the side walls I. Carbonio acid gas under pressure is admitted to the carbonator through a pipe 4 threaded into the top plate 3. A commercial tank of carbonio acid gas (not shown) may constitute the source of supply of the gas. and a. pressurereducing valve of the well-known type may be employed to reduce the gas pressure to around 45-55 pounds before it enters the carbonator. A safety valve 5' is mounted on the carbonator to prevent the pressure within the receptacle from rising above a-predetermined maximum.

Water is pumped from a tankv6 1n the drink vending machine to the carbonator receptacle by vmeans of a pump 1 operated by an electric mitted to the carbonator receptacle ata predeter-y mined pressure, say around -55 pounds per square inch, and the water is pumped directly to from the carbonatorvto bring it to a predetermined low level. The closing pressure which the spring exerts on V.the water inlet valve is set, preferably by adjustable means, so that even after the water pump starts, the water pressure must be built up to a predetermined amount before the water will enter the carbonator. Prefer- `this valve seat.

motor 8. The delivery pipe '9 ofthe pump is detachably connected to a nozle I0 which is removably screwed into the cover 3 as shown at Il. The nozzle I0 has a central bore I2 which conducts the water into theinterior of the carbonator receptacle. 'I'he water is discharged from the nozzle through lateral openings I3 provided in the side walls of the nozzle. The lower edge of the bore I2 forms a valve seat, as shownv at I4, against which a ball valve I5 is adapted to seat. The lateral openings I3 are located immediately below The ball valve I5 is yieldingly urged toward its seat by a plunger I6 and a coil spring I1 which is interposed between a shoulder I8 on the plunger and an adjustable sleeve I9 threaded into the lower end of the nozzle as shown l The sleeve I9 is locked in position by y When the nozzle is reat 20. means of a lock nut 2|. moved from the carbonator, the seating pressure which the spring I1 exerts on the ball valve may be regulated by loosening the lock nutvZI and vthen -adjusting the position of the sleeve I9v as by ,9 into the carbonator receptacle.

of the spring |1 has been previously set so that a by the dotted lines.

means of a screw driver inserted in a notch 22 at the lower end of the sleeve. When the proper ad- Justment is made, the lock nut 2| is tightened to lock the sleeve in its adjusted position.

The nozzle is surrounded by a tubular casing 23 which depends from the cover 3 of the carbonator receptacle and constitutes a mixing chamber.

Near its upper end the casing 23 is provided with a series of openings 24, and nearf 28 rises and falls with the level of the carbonated water 28 and operates a rod 30 to which is fastened a pair of adjustable collars 3|. An electric switch 32 is provided with an arm 33 which is actuated by the collars 3| as the float 29 ,rises vand falls. The collars 3| are so adjusted on'the rod 30, that when the level of the carbonated water 28 in the receptacle reaches a predetermined low level, the switch arm 33 is moved downwardly by the upper collar 3| to close an electric tacle. When the carbonated water 28v rises to a predetermined high level, the lower collar 3| -swings the switch arm 33 upwardly and thereby breaks the electric circuit to the motor 8 and stops the supply of water tothe carbonator receptacle.

Assuming that the supply of carbonio acid gas has been turned on and that 'the apparatus is v 'otherwise ready for operation, then the first step in a cycle of operations is the withdrawal of some of the carbonated water 28 from the receptacle.

-When the carbonator is used in a drink-vending machine, this would occur when a coin is inserted in the slot. The portion of carbonated water withdrawn from the carbonator would be automatically mixed with a quantity of syrup to make the beverage. When the level of the carbonated water drops a predetermined amount, the switch 32 is operated by the iioat 23 to start the electric motor and thereby pump water through the pipe' The tension water will not enter the carbonator receptacle unless it is at a certain appreciable pressure above the pressurecf the gas Ywithin the receptacle. Preferably the adjustment is such that if the gas pressure within the receptacle is, say 45 pounds per square inch, thepressure of the water must be about 15 pounds higher, or around 60 pounds per square inch before the ball valve I formed by :ne tube 21 and the mwerpart of the casing 23l and will overflow from this pocket through the openings 25 and be collected in the sure of the gas within the carbonator receptacle l happens to be, this pressure, acting as it does' on the ball valve I5, will be added to the pressure exerted on the valve by the springr I1, so that the water will always be admitted to the receptacle at a pressure which exceeds by a' predetermined amount the pressure of the gas within the receptacle. this differential in pressure depending upon the pressure which the spring |1 is made to exert. upon the ball valve l by reason of the adjustment of the sleeve I8.

' circuit to-the motor 8 and thereby start the pump 1 to supply water to the carbonator recep- Inasmuch as the ball valve always causes the water to be admitted to the receptacle at an Iappreciably higher pressure than the pressure of the gas within the carbonator, water entering a mixing chamber therein provided with a pocket to collect water sprayed into the chamber and with openings therein through which gas pocket being so placed that spray entering the will allow it to enter the carbonator. When the` water has attained this pressure, the ball valve l5 'will open farvenough to allow thewater to issue in comminuted or atomized form past the ball valve and .through the openings |3 in the side walls of the nozzle. The water will strike the interior surface of the cylindrical casing 23 and will be deflected downwardly 'as indicated Some of the gas within the carbonator receptacle will enter the interior of the casing 23 through the openings 24 and 25 and in contact with, and be absorbed by, the-water as it is sprayed into the casing 23. The carbonated water will collect in anannular pocket tremity of said water inlet for controlling the passage of Water therethrough into the mixing chamber, mechanical yielding means adjusted to exert on the valve a closing pressure such that Water will be admitted into said mixing cham- `beronly when the pressure diierential between the water at the inlet and gas in the receptacle will cause the water issuing from the valve controlled inlet to be atomized suliciently to facilitate absorption of the gas in the chamber by the water, means controlled by therise and -fall of the carbonated water in the receptacle to lower and raise the water pressure at said water inlet, vand means for withdrawing carbonated water from the receptacle.

2. A carbonator comprising a receptacle having a cylindrical mixing chamber therein provided with an annular pocket to collect water sprayed into said chamber and provided with openings through which gas may enter said chamber from said receptacle and through which carbonated water can leave said mixing chamber and enter the receptacle, means for supplying ceptacle and within said mixing chamber in close proximity to the walls of said mixing chamber, a bail valve within said chamber at said inlet for controlling the passage o'fwater therethrough into the mixing chamber, mechanical yielding -means adjusted to exert en the valve a closing pressure at least fteven pounds greater than the pressure of the gas in the receptacle, means coning the chamber through said water inlet, said pocket being sopositioned as to cause the water entering the chamber to strike any water in the pocket with suiiicient force to cause agitation, a

valve at said inlet for controlling the passage of water through the mixing chamber, mechanical means adjusted to exert on the valve a closing pressure such that water admitted into said mixing chamber will be subject to pressure drop sumcient to cause water issuing'from the valve.

controlled inlet to lbe atomized ysufliciently to facilitate absorption of the gas in the chamber by the water, means controlled by the-riseand fall of the carbonatedwater in the receptacle' to lower and raise the water*v pressure at said water inlet and means for withdrawing carbonated water from the receptac1e.

v.CAl'iL J. HOLINGER.

, 3 Apocket in said chamber to catch the water enter- 

